Safety closure for containers

ABSTRACT

A safety closure for securement to containers and vials and adapted to prevent access to the contents of said containers and vials, the safety closure including an inner cap and an external lid both frictionally retainable on the open end of the container or vial. The inner cap includes a central plate having a peripheral wall around the outer periphery thereof adapted to frictionally engage the inside wall of the container or vial. A flange secured to the upper edge of the peripheral wall prevents the internal cap from moving downwardly into the container from the upper end thereof. The internal cap includes an interlock structure formed on the peripheral wall. The external cap includes a central plate having an annular flange projecting from the outer periphery of the central wall and dimensioned to frictionally engage the outer wall of the container or vial. The outer wall of the external lid includes an interlock structure adapted to mate with, and engage, the interlock structure of the internal cap to facilitate removal of the internal cap from the container or vial.

. United States Patent [191 Stroud May 7,1974

[ SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS [22] Filed: June 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 267,645

Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Stephen Marcus Attorney, Agenr, or Firm-Jerry .1. Dunlap [57] ABSTRACT A safety closure for securement to containers and vials and adapted to prevent access to the contents of said containers and vials, the safety closure including an inner cap and an external lid both frictionally retainable on the open end of the container or vial. The

inner cap includes a central plate having a peripheral wall around the outer periphery thereof adapted to frictionally engage the inside wall of the container or vial. A flange secured to the upper edge of the peripheral wall prevents the internal cap from moving downwardly into the container from the upper end thereof. The internal cap includes an interlock structure formed on the peripheral wall. The external cap includes a central plate having an annular flange projecting from the. outer periphery of the central wall and dimensioned to frictionally engage the outer wall of the container or vial. The outer wall of the external lid includes an interlock structure adapted to mate with, and engage, the interlock structure of the internal cap to facilitate removal of theinternal cap from the container or vial.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures slams-L271 PATENTEDIAY 7 m4 HIP-1% "In, "II/"4.4." 4

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to safety closures of the type used in combination with medicine vials and the like to secure the contents thereof against access to small children.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Among the most widely occurringaccidents in the home is the poisoning of small children which occurs as a result of their gaining access to the contentsof medicine vials and pill bottles. In some cases, the poisonings are fatal. The seriousness of this problem has increased with the growing dependency of adults and children alike upon various types of prescription and non-prescription medicaments, some of which, though not procured by prescription, are nevertheless extremely detrimental to health when taken in excessive quantities. I

Attempts to safeguard the public at large, and small children in particular, from the dangers of inadvertent drug and medicine abuse of thetype described have recently been undertaken by the Federal Government through the enaction of legislation and the adoption of various standards and measures. Pharmacists and others dealing in drugs and dangerous chemicals dispensed to the public have, in some instances, been required to package these materials in certain types of containers which are intended to be at least child resistant, if not child-proof. Federal standards have been established for determining whether certain types of closures used on medicine vials and similar containers are sufficiently secure to prevent the removal of the closure by children below certain ages.

It is, of course, important that in meeting these standards and achieving a satisfactory degree of assurance against juvenile intrusion, the closures nevertheless be sufficiently easily manipulated and removed that aged persons, as well as those having certain physical handicaps, will not find the removal of the safety closure excessively inconvenient and difficult by reason of physical infirmity. Indeed, such persons as these are often the ones who must'have ready access to certain drugs packaged in the manner described.

A number of types of safety closures or caps have been heretofore proposed to meet the problem described, and in most instances, include various types of threadedly engaging structures or interlocking parts which require a certain degree of digital facility, and in many instances, require adult perception to determine the proper mode of usage.

A need continues to exist for safety cap or closure structures which can be economically constructed due to a relatively simplistic structure, but which nevertheless meet the criteria established by governmental standards, and permit ease in usage by the aged and handicapped. A recent proposal for a relatively simple safety closure or cap is that which is disclosed in Hall US. Pat. No. 3,473,681. The safety closure proposed in this patent includes an internal cap or lid which has an aperture formed in the central portion thereof, and which is adapted to be pressed down into the interior of a bottle or vial at the open end thereof. The closure further includes an external lid which is pressed over the open end of the container or vial so as to'grip the outside surface or wall of the container or vial. This outer lid has fonned thereon, a key which can be inserted through the opening in the inner lid and then twisted or turned in such a way that it engages the inner lid. By pulling on the outer lid when thus engaged with the inner lid, the frictional engagement of the inner lid with the vial is released, and the inner lid can be removed to permit access to the contents of the vial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention is a safety closure for medicine vials or bottles, which closure is of two-part construction, including an inner cap and an external lid. The safety closure of the invention has a significant advantage over closures of the type described in the Hall and other patents in that it can be easily utilized to close vials containing either liquids or solids, and when pills or tablets are placed therein, they can be extremely small without danger of loss or failure of the security function of the safety closure. This is due to the fact that the inner cap provided in the structure of the present invention completely seals and closes the open upper end of the container or vial, and does not permit access through any opening or aperture formed therein to the contents of the container. The closure moreover prevents contamination of the contents of the container by the introduction or infiltration of foreign matter through such aperture or opening.

Broadly described, the safety closure of the present invention includes an inner cap which is adapted to be pressed into the open end of a vial or container for medicaments, but which carries a flange to prevent the inner cap from being pressed into the vial or container further than desirable. The inner cap includes thereon, an interlock structure, and several diversionary structures. The safety closure of the invention further includes an external cap adapted to snap over and frictionally engage the upper end of the vial or container. The external cap carries an interlock structure which is complementary to the interlock structure on the inner cap, but which will not interlock or engage any of the diversionary structures carried by the inner cap.

In operation, the external lid is first removed from the vial and is then oriented in such a way that the interlock structure carriedthereby registers and interlocks with the interlock structure on the inner cap. The inner cap can then be pulled clear of the vial to open the vial and make its contents accessible.

From the foregoing broad and general description of the invention, it will be apparent that an important object of the invention is to provide a simple and relatively economically'constructed safety closure for medicine bottles and vials, which closure can be quickly placed in position toclose the vial, and can be easily removed by an adult person having average perception and average, or even less than average, digital facility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety closure structure for use on medicine vials, which closure structure can be used by pharmacists in the process of filling prescriptions without irritation to the fingers and hands due to difficulty in attachment and use.

Another advantage of the invention is to provide a safety closure structure which does not require screwing or twisting in order to remove the closure from a vial to which it is attached.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a safety closure for medicine vials which has a large flat surface area exposed when the closure is in place, thus facilitating the imprinting or use of desirable logo or advertising material thereon.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a safety closure structure which provides a tight, air impervious closure for medicine vials and the like by reason, in part, of a double seal formed between the closure structure and the vial.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide a high security safety closure for medicine vials which does not provide any type of open access to the contents of the vial when a portion of the closure has been removed, and does not permit liquids or small pills to be shaken or poured from the container when an outer lid forming a portion of the closure is initially removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety closure for medicine vials which is intentionally designed to be deceptive to children as to the mode of operation and usage, but which can be easily used by older children or adults.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety closure which provides, in its construction, a space where sheets carrying advertising, instructions or a prescription may be stored when the safety closure is in place, with such advertising material, prescription or instructions completely enclosed and maintained in a dry, easily accessible location.

Additional objects and advantages in addition to those hereinbefore described, will become apparent as the following detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view ofthe safety closure of the invention as it appears when used for closing a medicine vial.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the safety closure device of the invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the safety, closure with the external cap removed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.-

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3. L

FIG. 6 is a view in elevation showing the internal cap and external lid as they are engaged for purposes of removing the internal lid from a vial.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a medicine vial or container is designated generally by reference numeral 10 and includes a generally cylindrical side wall 12. Adjacent the upper end of the side wall 12, a bead 14 is formed around the outer surface of the I side wall and defines a downwardly facing shoulder '16.

A safety closure used in conjunction with the via] 10, and constructed in accordance with the present invenj 4 tion is designated generally by reference numeral 20.

The afet y closure includes an inner cap 22 and an outer lid 24. The relationship of the vial 10, inner cap 22 and outer lid 24 is perhaps best illustrated in FIGS 4 and 5.

The inner lid 22 forming a portion of the safety closure 20 includes a substantially monoplanar central plate 26 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a disc shaped member of circular configuration having a diameter selected to permit the innerv cap to fit within the vial 10. Projecting substantially normal to the central plate 26 and extending around the outer periphery thereof is an annular wall 28. The annular wall 28 has extending therearound, a pair of beads or ribs '30 and 32. In a preferred construction of the invention, both the inner cap 22 and outer lid 24 of the safety closure 20 are constructed of a synthetic resin material and thus exhibit some degree of flexibility'and some. resiliency or elasticity. The inclusion of the ribs 30 and 32, in conjunction with the selected diameter of the central plate 26, permit the inner cap 22 to be pressed into the open upper end of the vial l0 and retained securely therein by the frictional engagement of the ribs 30 and 32 with the internal surface of the side wall 12.

lip or flange 36 is provided and projects radially outwardly from the side wall. It will be noted that the annular lip or flange 36 tapers to a relatively thin edge at its radially outer extremity, and that the radial dimension of this lip is less that the thickness of the side wall 12 of the vial 10. The lip 36 thus acts as a stop element to prevent the inner cap from being pressed past the open upper end of the vial l0 and when the inner cap is in place, fits flatly against the top edge of the vial. The thinness of the lip 36, particularly at its radially outer peripheral edge, inhibits its removal by children by chewing, or by placing fingernails under the lip and wedging the inner cap outwardly.

Formed on the radially inner side of the side wall 28 are deception assemblies 40'and 42 and an interlock assembly 44. It will be noted that the deception assembly 40 includes a pair of triangularly cross-sectioned ribs 46 which project radially inwardly from the side wall 30 and define a rectangularly cross sectioned groove or slot 48. The deception assembly 42 formed on the radially inner side of the side wall 30 also includes a pair of triangularly cross sectioned ribs 50 which converge at their lower ends where they intersect the central plate 26 so as to define between them, a trapezoidal slot 52 having its large end at the top of the side wall 28.

The interlock-assembly 44 which is provided onthe radially inner side of the annular side wall 28 resembles in certain respects, the deception assemblies 40 and 42. Thus, it is formed by a pair of triangularly cross sectioned ribs 54 and also defines between these ribs, a trapezoidal slot 56. In this case, however, the trapezoidal slot 56 has its enlarged base at its lower end adjacent the central plate 26.

The outer lid 24 includes a central plate 60 which has formed integrally therewith and extending around the outer periphery thereof, a downwardly projecting annular flange 62-.- The diameter of the central plate 60 is such that the flange 62 frictionally engages or grips the outer surface of the side wall 12 of the vial 10 adjacent the open upper end of the side wall. When the external or outer lid 24 is pressed into its closure position on the open upper end of the vial 10, it extends across the end of the vial and obscures and protects the inner cap 22. This arrangement is perceptible in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

Secured to the annular flange 62 at one location thereon is a radially outwardly projecting interlock assembly 68. The interlock assembly 68 includes a trapezoidally shaped plate 70 which is dimensioned to register with the trapezoidal slot forming a part of the interlock assembly 44 carried on the annular side wall 28 of the inner cap 22. The trapezoidal plate 70 is braced and reinforced by a pair of triangular brace plates 72 and 74 which extend between the trapezoidal plate 70 and the outer surface of the annular flange 62.

OPERATION In the operation and use of the safety closure of the invention, the medicament to be dispensed in prescribed or periodic dosages is placed in the vial 10, and the vial is then closed by pressing the inner cap 22 into the open upper end of the vial until the lip or flange 36 bears flatly against the top edge of the vial. This inner 'cap 22 is itself adequate to seal the vial and prevent loss of the contents therefrom, or infiltration of impurities into the vial. After theinner cap 22 has been pressed into position, it is then very difficult to extricate except in the manner hereinafter described. Final closure and securement of the vial is achieved by pressing the outer lid 24 down over the open upper end of the vial so that it occupies the position depicted in FIG. 1.

When an adult desires to gain access to the contents of the vial 10, the outer lid 24 is first removed by prying upwardly on this lid. The removal of the outer lid 24 is easily accomplished. The outer lid 24 is then turned in the fingers to a position where the interlock assembly 68 carried thereon can be engaged with the interlock assembly 44 carried on the radially inner side of the annular side wall 28 of the inner cap 22. It will be noted that engagement between the interlock 68 on the outer lid 24 and the interlock 44 on the inner cap 22 can only be effected by pressing one side of the trapezoidal plate 70 into the trapezoidal slot 56 forming a part of the interlock assembly 44. An attempt to move the plate 70 into this slot by forcing the opposite side of the plate into the slot is blocked by the triangular brace plates 72 and 74.

The described manipulation, though quite easy for adults, is difficult for children. Moreover, the inclusion of the deception assemblies 40 and 42 on the annular side wall 28 of the inner cap 22 makes it difficult and confusing to a child to try to obtain the proper engagement of the interlock assembly 68 carried on the outer lid 24 with theinterlock assembly 44 carried by the inner cap 22.

Once the proper engagement is achieved, it is quite easy to pull outwardly on the outer lid 24 to release the inner cap 22 from frictional engagement with the vial 10. The appearance of the engaged outer lid 24 and inner cap 22 may best be perceived be referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings.

Although a preferredembodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated in order to demonstrate the basic principles of the invention, it will be understood that various changes and innovations in the described and illustrated structure can be effected without departure from these basic principles. All changes and innovations of this type are therefore deemed to be circumscribed by the spirit and scope of the present invention except as the same may be necessarily limited by the appended claims or reasonable equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is: l. A safety closure for a drug and medicine container comprising: I

an inner cap insertable in the open end of said container; 1 deception assemblies formed on said inner cap; an interlock assembly formed on said inner cap, said interlock assembly being a slot in said inner cap not opening through the inner cap to the interior of said container;

an external lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container; and

an interlock assembly formed on said external lid and configured to register with, and engage, said interlock assembly on said inner cap and not engageable with said deception assemblies.

2. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including ribs on the outer periphery of said inner cap for frictionally engaging the interior of said container.

3. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock assembly formed on said external lid includes a trapezoidal plate engageable with said interlock assembly on said inner cap.

4. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner cap includes: l

a plate having a wall extending around the outer pe riphery thereof; and

a lip projecting from said wall and tapering to an edge extending around the periphery of said lip.

5. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock assembly formed on said inner cap includes a pair of spaced ribs defining a slot therebetween; and wherein said interlock assembly formed on said external lid includes a protuberant plate registerable and engageable with said slot to facilitate removal of said inner cap from said container by pulling on said external lid.

6. A safety closure as defined in claim 3 wherein said external lid includes:

a central plate;

an annular flange extending around the outer periphery of said central plate and projecting normal thereto, said flange having said trapezoidal plate secured thereto and projecting radially outwardly therefrom.

7. A safety closure as defined in claim 4 wherein said slot is located in said wall.

8. A safety closure for medicine vials comprising:

an inner cap insertable in the open end of the vial and including:

a central imperforate plate;

an annular wall around the outer periphery of said centralplate;

a lip projecting radially outwardly from said annular wall for limiting movement of said cap into said vial; and

an interlock assembly on said annular wall above said central plate and including a trapezoidally shaped slot; and

an outer lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container and including:

a central plate;

an annular flange around the periphery of said central plate and diametrically dimensioned to extend around said vial at the open end thereof; and

an interlock assembly on said annular flange and including a trapezoidally shaped plate dimensioned to register with, and engage, said trapezoidally shaped slot. 7

9. A safety closure for preventing access to the contents of a vial comprising:

a synthetic resin inner cap including:

an imperforate central plate;

a wall around the periphery of said inner plate and projecting normal to said central plate and dimensioned to fit within said vial;

ribs around said wall and protruding therefrom for frictional engagement with the interior of said vial; I

a lip projecting from said wall in a direction substantially parallel to said central plate for limiting movement of said cap into said vial;

an interlock assembly on said wall above said central plate;

a synthetic resin outer lid dimensioned to frictionally engage the outer-surface of saidvial and to cover and close the open end thereof and to cover said inner cap; and

a plate projecting from said outer lid and engageable with said interlock assembly to facilitate removal of said inner cap from frictional engagement with said vial.

10. A safety closure for a drug and medicine container comprising:

an inner cap insertable into the open end of said container;

deception assemblies formed on said inner cap;

an interlock assembly formed on said inner cap, said deception assemblies and said interlock assembly on said inner cap each including a pair of spaced ribs defining a slot there between;

an external lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container; and

an interlock assembly formed on said external lid and including a protuberantplate registerable and'endeception assemblies formed onsaid inner cap;

an interlock assembly formed on said inner cap and including a pair of spaced ribs on the inner side of said wall and defining a slot between said ribs;

an external lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container; and

an interlock assembly formed on said external lid and including a protuberant plate registerable and engageable with said slot to facilitate removal of said inner cap from said container by pulling on said external lid.

12. A safety closure as defined in claim 11 and further characterized as including brace plates secured to said protuberant plate and positioned to prevent registration and engagement of said protuberant plate with said slot except when one side of said protuberant plate is aligned with and moved into said slot.

13. A safety closure as defined in claim 11 and further characterized as including brace plates secured to said protuberant plate and positioned to prevent registration and engagement of said protuberant plate with said slot except when one side of said protuberant plate is aligned with and moved into said slot.

14. A safety closure as defined in claim 11 and further characterized as including rib around said wall on the opposite side thereof from said spaced ribs for frictionally retaining said inner cap in said container. 

1. A safety closure for a drug and medicine container comprising: an inner cap insertable in the open end of said container; deception assemblies formed on said inner cap; an interlock assembly formed on said inner cap, said interlock assembly being a slot in said inner cap not opening through the inner cap to the interior of said container; an external lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container; and an interlock assembly formed on said external lid and configured to register with, and engage, said interlock assembly on said inner cap and not engageable with said deception assemblies.
 2. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including ribs on the outer periphery of said inner cap for frictionally engaging the interior of said container.
 3. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock assembly formed on said external lid includes a trapezoidal plate engageable with said interlock assembly on said inner cap.
 4. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner cap includes: a plate having a wall extending around the outer periphery thereof; and a lip projecting from said wall and tapering to an edge extending around the periphery of said lip.
 5. A safety closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock assembly formed on said inner cap includes a pair of spaced ribs defining a slot therebetween; and wherein said interlock assembly formed on said external lid includes a protuberant plate registerable aNd engageable with said slot to facilitate removal of said inner cap from said container by pulling on said external lid.
 6. A safety closure as defined in claim 3 wherein said external lid includes: a central plate; an annular flange extending around the outer periphery of said central plate and projecting normal thereto, said flange having said trapezoidal plate secured thereto and projecting radially outwardly therefrom.
 7. A safety closure as defined in claim 4 wherein said slot is located in said wall.
 8. A safety closure for medicine vials comprising: an inner cap insertable in the open end of the vial and including: a central imperforate plate; an annular wall around the outer periphery of said central plate; a lip projecting radially outwardly from said annular wall for limiting movement of said cap into said vial; and an interlock assembly on said annular wall above said central plate and including a trapezoidally shaped slot; and an outer lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container and including: a central plate; an annular flange around the periphery of said central plate and diametrically dimensioned to extend around said vial at the open end thereof; and an interlock assembly on said annular flange and including a trapezoidally shaped plate dimensioned to register with, and engage, said trapezoidally shaped slot.
 9. A safety closure for preventing access to the contents of a vial comprising: a synthetic resin inner cap including: an imperforate central plate; a wall around the periphery of said inner plate and projecting normal to said central plate and dimensioned to fit within said vial; ribs around said wall and protruding therefrom for frictional engagement with the interior of said vial; a lip projecting from said wall in a direction substantially parallel to said central plate for limiting movement of said cap into said vial; an interlock assembly on said wall above said central plate; a synthetic resin outer lid dimensioned to frictionally engage the outer surface of said vial and to cover and close the open end thereof and to cover said inner cap; and a plate projecting from said outer lid and engageable with said interlock assembly to facilitate removal of said inner cap from frictional engagement with said vial.
 10. A safety closure for a drug and medicine container comprising: an inner cap insertable into the open end of said container; deception assemblies formed on said inner cap; an interlock assembly formed on said inner cap, said deception assemblies and said interlock assembly on said inner cap each including a pair of spaced ribs defining a slot there between; an external lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container; and an interlock assembly formed on said external lid and including a protuberant plate registerable and engageable with said slot to facilitate removal of said inner cap from said container by pulling on said external lid.
 11. A safety closure for a drug and medicine container comprising: an inner cap insertable in the open end of said container and including: a plate having a wall extending around the outer periphery thereof; and a lip projecting from said wall and tapering to an edge extending around the periphery of said lip; deception assemblies formed on said inner cap; an interlock assembly formed on said inner cap and including a pair of spaced ribs on the inner side of said wall and defining a slot between said ribs; an external lid adapted for securement over the open end of the container; and an interlock assembly formed on said external lid and including a protuberant plate registerable and engageable with said slot to facilitate removal of said inner cap from said container by pulling on said external lid.
 12. A safety closure as defined in claim 11 and further characterized as including brace platEs secured to said protuberant plate and positioned to prevent registration and engagement of said protuberant plate with said slot except when one side of said protuberant plate is aligned with and moved into said slot.
 13. A safety closure as defined in claim 11 and further characterized as including brace plates secured to said protuberant plate and positioned to prevent registration and engagement of said protuberant plate with said slot except when one side of said protuberant plate is aligned with and moved into said slot.
 14. A safety closure as defined in claim 11 and further characterized as including rib around said wall on the opposite side thereof from said spaced ribs for frictionally retaining said inner cap in said container. 